$80k in cattle stolen from Alberta ranch, say RCMP

A photo of the cattle RCMP previously believed to have been missing. (RCMP)

Mounties are asking for the public's help to track down 59 heifers stolen from a property in east-central Alberta.

The Alberta RCMP Livestock Investigation Unit said the mixed-breed cows were recently stolen from property near Czar, a small town about 300 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.

Investigators believe the the thief was familiar with the farm and took all the cattle at once using a large trailer.

RCMP say they've sent alerts to inspected livestock markets in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

All the cattle are tagged and bearing the Hobbs brand so police say it would be difficult for someone to market them at any of the inspected markets.

"They've got the lazy H-C running bar on the left rib ... it's a good brand, this guy's a good farmer, knows what he's doing and, you know, we usually don't run across something like this everyday," said Cpl. Dave Heaslip with the RCMP.

A ground and air search of the area by the owner did not locate the missing livestock and there is no evidence that they escaped through a fence or that they have relocated to adjacent properties.